AI Adoption: Profitability Becomes Key to Sustainability

Amid the accelerating adoption of artificial intelligence (AI), profitability has emerged as a crucial factor for sustainability. Improvements in AI productivity at the individual employee level have yet to translate into enhanced financial performance for companies. The burden of high operational costs, including expensive tokens, has made AI utilization strategies increasingly important for businesses.

According to a report released on August 31 by global consulting firm McKinsey & Company, titled "The State of AI in 2026: On the Road to ROI," financial performance among companies using AI has not improved. Only 37% of respondents reported that AI contributed to their earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT), a figure consistent with last year. The report surveyed 1,719 employees from companies and institutions across 97 countries.

McKinsey classified companies that increased EBIT by more than 5% through AI as "high-performing companies," but only 6% fell into this category. While more companies are adopting AI, improvements in financial performance have stagnated.

Consequently, securing profitability has become the primary variable for AI adoption. One in five companies reported facing pressure from operational costs, including token expenses. The use of various AI tools, such as chatbots and software coding agents, is constrained by these costs.

Although individual token prices are decreasing, the consumption and generation of tokens required for advanced reasoning and agent-based software development are rising more rapidly. Managing "tokenomics"—the balance of AI costs and ROI—has become a new challenge for companies.

McKinsey pointed out that the key differentiator in profitability among companies lies in their approach to AI adoption. High-performing companies aim not only for cost reduction but also for growth and innovation. They tend to fundamentally redesign workflows rather than merely adding AI to existing tasks. In fact, three-quarters of high-performing companies reported that they have fundamentally restructured their processes as a result of AI utilization.

Executive involvement and performance measurement systems also contribute to differences in profitability. High-performing companies are more likely to have top executives directly engaged in AI initiatives and processes in place to quantify the effects of AI adoption. McKinsey advises that organizations should focus on building operational capabilities that enable them to achieve consistent results, rather than simply increasing the number of AI tools and pilot projects.

Ultimately, the focus of AI adoption is shifting from "how much is used" to "how effectively it generates revenue." McKinsey believes that companies that seek solutions by transforming their business rather than merely implementing AI tools are more likely to achieve sustained financial performance.